Should Homosexuality Be Accepted In Freemasonry?

Brethren, today we’re going to be discussing a very controversial topic that I know many people have strong views against/for.

Today we are discussing; homosexuality in Freemasonry.

You are welcome (and encouraged) to add your views (for or against) but please; let’s keep it civil.

The number of openly homosexual people is growing.

This is not because more people are homosexual today than before, but because, even though homosexuals are still not widely accepted, homosexuality is becoming less of a “taboo” and being homosexual is not considered “crazy” or “shocking” anymore.

I’m a heterosexual maleand a Freemason but I have always wondered if Freemasonry accepted homosexual members and welcomes them to the fraternity.

In this article, we will discuss this idea covering the subject both theoretically and also taking a look at how “old rules” can come into play when it comes to accepting homosexuality in the Craft.

Is Freemasonry Based on Equality?

One of the main principles upon which Freemasonry is founded is equality.

Freemasons have always been advocates for all kind of equality – racial, social etc. Theoretically, this means that homosexuals should be accepted by Freemasonry.

The only requirements a man should have to join Freemasonry are (as we know); a belief in a supreme being and good moral standing. Therefore, sexual orientation is entirely out of the equation.

It is never mentioned in Freemasonry and a member is never asked about his sexual orientation.

However, while the principles of Freemasonry indicate that a homosexual should be able to join the fraternity, as he is equal to everyone else, this is not always the case in real life.

From my research about this subject, I came across a lot of members on forums that say they have a homosexual member in their lodge BUT I’m aware that certain lodges may not be so open to “alternative lifestyles” and homosexuals are not be “cast out”.

Freemasonry advocates freedom, and each and every member is allowed freedom of belief.

Certain members’ faith may induce them to believe that accepting a homosexual in Freemasonry may be a sin or immoral, and for this reason, a homosexual may be voted against or as we say “black-balled”.

Let’s keep in mind that Freemasonry has adult members of all ages, so older members who may not be as accustomed talking and hearing about homosexuality as we are today and might possibly believe that no homosexual should join Freemasonry as this would be immoral, and they may blackball a candidate.

So while Freemasonry in itself should accept any man of good character, regardless of sexual orientation, a person’s culture or personal beliefs may lead to a homosexual not being accepted into the fraternity.

I find this very controversial since every Freemason should apply all Masonic teachings to his life, and Freemasonry teaches us to accept everyone and to circumscribe prejudice which should not exist in our lives.

Would it be moral to vote against a person who wants to join Freemasonry to improve and develop just because of his sexual orientation?

While there is no rule prohibiting homosexuals to join Freemasonry and as we said; the subject of sexual orientation is never brought up in Freemasonry, some lodges may still be hesitant in accepting someone who is homosexual to join the fraternity.

However, Masonic teachings indicate that we are all brothers under the same sky and to be truly moral we should learn to tolerate, accept and respect everyone, no matter their race, beliefs, social status or sexual orientation is.

The way I see it; since many issues against homosexuality come from religious beliefs and Freemasonry is neither a religion nor a fraternity that follows one specific religion;

I would personally not have a problem with a homosexual becoming a brother.

What are your thoughts on this?

Do you think homosexuals should be / should not be allowed to join the Lodge? Have you ever had a homosexual male that wanted to join your lodge?

Let us know below BUT please let’s keep this respectful between brothers! Any distasteful comment will not be published.

77 Comments

Freemasonry is about the universal laws of justice and morality that should be the dominant theme in every society. Freemasonry shouldn’t allow itself to become a pro-homosexual organization for many reasons similar to those that proscribe preference for specific religious beliefs. For me personally, the politics of the professional and militant pro-homosexual crowd are troubling. In my experience those who adhere to homosexual practices usually have other beliefs and practices that I believe are contrary to the moral and social virtues elevated by Freemasonry. While individuals should be left alone in most matters, those of us who do not want to adopt the lifestyle and beliefs of the homosexual cult are increasingly harassed and intimidated by a well-organized movement that does not seem to be devoted to anything but increasing confusion and division. Let Freemasonry remain devoted to the principles that have distinguished it for several centuries and not become another tool for those who, in fact, do not really believe in what Freemasonry stands for.

First, homosexuality is not a cult. Secondly, supporting gay individuals in their desire to become a freemason is hardly the same as “adopting the lifestyle and beliefs of the homosexual cult”. Thirdly, supporting the desire of a homosexual person in his desire to be a freemason is not the same as allow freemasonry to become a pro-homosexual organization. Rather it is allowing freemasonry to be more tolerant of others. And lastly, who are you to decide, based on the sexuality of another, whether they do not really believe in what Freemasonry stands for?

I agree with Adam. The principles of Freemasonry is about moral and values as good men. To advocate homosexuality in Freemasonry is totally against what it stands for. Yes Freemasonry stands up for freedom but not to be hypocritical on its foundation.

I am a Freemason and I happen to be gay.I am also 32 years old and find that many of the brothers my age simply do not care either way.Also I do not broadcast my orientation outside or inside the lodge room. All differences are suppose to be set aside inside the lodge room to begin with. I love being a Freemason and I love the code of ethics the fraternity committs me to.I simple aim to be a good person and to be committed to my brothers in the craft. Even if a fellow brother takes issue with my orientation,I would still go out of my way to assist him as I take my obligation seriously.

Homosexuality isn’t “advocated” in Freemasonry anymore than sex with my female wife is. When or how I am intimate with my spouse has NOTHING to do with Freemasonry. Am I to understand that every single Mason in my Lodge or around the world abstains from oral sex and/or any other sexual activity that is frowned upon in the Bible or any other religious text? Suppose my wife was an athiest or someone who preferred sodomy? Would that mean that Freemasonry advocated these things by admitting me as a Master Mason?? Who a person is in a relationship with or has sexual relations with has NOTHING TO DO with their membership or Masonry. Please tell me who the authority is who decides what constitutes “moral virtues”? Half the Masons I know are divorced men. Meanwhile, one Mason I know is a church-going gay man who has been in the same monogamous relationship for almost 30 years. Is Freemasonry advocating divorce? Is Freemasonry advocating all of the insanity that the Jesters in my state have been charged with engaging in? How on earth am I affected by who one of my lodge brethren may be in love with or attracted to?? There’s no question of morality…it’s actually weird that people are so concerned with who OTHER people are sleeping with or attracted to.

I have thought that one of the main reasons why we accept new members , is that they must be at least believe in god and follow the path of a religion , and as far as i know , not un chrestianity nor in islam Homosexuality is accepted . PS: sorry for bad english ^^’

Wow! I am SO GLAD that I left Conservative Freemasonry and went the route of Progressive Freemasonry. This is not even an issue in the Grand Orient de France or any of the progressive obediences found in CLIPSAS, SIMPA or any other organization of progressive Masonic obediences. Men, women, straight, gay, black, white…these are non – issues; they’re all accepted! A person isn’t even asked if he or she believes in “God” and politics and religion ARE discussed in lodge. But then again, I’ve come to realize that the United Grand Lodge of England, being completely under the powers of the Royal Family since its true date of inception in 1813 (as is all of Conservative Freemasonry) is committed to preserving the status quo — keeping things as they are, with the rich in their place and the poor in theirs…which is why Conservative Freemasonry’s multiple charities have never gotten rid of poverty in the US. LOL…their whole raison d’etre is to actually preserve poverty while simulating doing something to make a change. But as long as two subjects are never breached (politics and religion) there is 0% chance of a revolt or revolution. There is 0% chance of laws being changed to improve conditions for the poor. Heaven forbid, that would be discussing politics! Women are kept out because they are more intelligent and because they can identify with the desperation of poor mothers and their children. They are, by nature, more empathetic. They stand more chance of raising the ugly questions that would challenge the pro-status quo Conservative Freemasonry. BUT if we lie to them and tell them that they “can’t” be Freemasons (ignoring the history of Freemasonry in Continental Europe and Latin America), give them some wannabe organization (Order of the Eastern Star) and maintain an eye on them by ensuring that each chapter is watched over by a “Masonic Patron” then we’ll make sure the women never stray from their “duties.” Minorities, particularly black people, have issues with the status quo. Better to keep the black men in their own order — Prince Hall — rather than infect the others with thoughts of deviance from the status quo. And as long as they’re following the same rules and sending portions of their funds to the Royal Family, it’s all gravy. They can believe what they want. In the end, they’re still working for “The Man.” I bet few of you realize that the Freemasonry of Continental Europe and Latin America is about 60 – 70% progressive and your “Regular” Conservative Freemasonry only makes up about 30-40% of the lodges. I wonder how long it will be until more “Freemasons” in this nation will wake up and begin to ask the ugly questions and realize that this “Freemasonry” in this nation is designed to take in those who are least likely to question and most likely to say “yes;” and its goals are the antithesis of the progressive tradition of Freemasonry; which is completely revolutionary and anti – status quo and dares ask all of the questions that Conservative Freemasonry would rather not touch in order to constantly improve society and evolve together as a species. Sorry if this angers you but sometimes the pill is bitter.

I’m a straight male; I’m married to a female. But others have a different idea. There idea is they need to be married to a person of the same sex and I am ok with that. The problem that I have is with the transgender. You were born one sex and now you have been transformed to the other sex. To me that is saying that God made a mistake. So if you agree with and have no problem with the transgender group you are not truly a god fear person.

Consider this. If we believe that Homosexuals are born that way (and I do)then we must trust that the Great Architect knew what he was doing when he designed them and accept then as we would accept any other man.

Russell – While I agree with your statement as I am not yet a Master Mason of our Fraternity. One of the reasons I asked to be brought into the light is our religious Theism. I believe homosexuality is an incorrect way to govern one’s life. However, the argument is not based in what our “God” thinks rather as long as they believe in a higher power or “Deity” as unfortunate as that may feel to us. I feel “Obliged” we’ll say, that as long as they invoke a Deity who does allow a change in gender or sexual preference is therefore authorized to learn the meanings and lifestyle of Freemasonry

I have been a mason for 5 years and am currently the WM of my lodge. I am gay and not out to my lodge. I have not deceived anyone, and no-one has asked me if I was gay or not. So in my lodge lodge, me being gay is a non-issue. I have not made it an issue of being gay, and in turn, the members (some of whom I know, know that I am gay) have not made it an issue. I’d like to think they respect me, and that it is my character that matters to them. I will agree with Adam that there are instances in society where the pro-gay politics are nuts, but that, along with politics don’t have a place in our lodges. It seems to me that any lodge could deal with the issue of homosexual men joining their lodges the same way they deal with anyone who petitions. Get to know them. If they are full of drama and make a scene, and carry on with behaviors which are not befitting of your lodge, black ball them. Just as if a gangster thug wants to join your lodge, black-ball them. But my feeling is that no-one should black-ball someone just because they are gay or just because they are black or just because… I am just as gay as a Freemason as I would be if I have never joined the lodge, but had I not joined I wouldn’t be the better man I am today.

I have been involved in freemasonry for the last 5 years also and only last week appointed Worshipful Master Elect and I shall be installed in June 2015. I am openly Gay and all the members of my Lodge know and accept this. They also accept the fact my Partner attends social functions. He is fully accepted and welcomed by all members of my Lodge. They have changed their wordings for social functions from “Ladies to Partners” to acomodate my Partner. Which I find most respectable. I have never hidden from the fact that I am Gay and I have never stood on a pedestal and promoted this as I know a lot of Gays in the community would have. This is who I am if you don’t feel comfortable with this then this is your problem.

I am a Past Master of my Lodge. I am a Past High Priest of my Chapter. I am a Grand Officer in Council and Chapter.

I am also gay.

My Lodge and Chapter recently held a joint event and surprised me by making me the honoree of the event. They also invited my husband, received and introduced him, and seated him with me at the head table. It was not an issue. They just treated him like the beloved spouse of any other Mason.

I think the scythe of time will cure the fraternity of this prejudice soon enough.

One’s sexuality has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with Freemasonry or being a Brother Mason. Any of you who are Brothers may remember a little something about the internal qualifications vs. the external. Travel light, Brother.

I agree as well. In keeping with the principles of Freemasonry, one’s sexuality is primarily one, in society, which is either based on religion or politics, neither of which is permitted in most lodges, as it is or can be used to divide Brothers. Therefore, it should not be a factor. For me, in my personal opinion, there are many homosexual men that I know that I would vote FOR their petition to my lodge, and many heterosexual men I would not. There are also some homosexual men that I would black ball as well. But that is not due to their sexuality, but how they carry themselves, and how their moral character would not be Masonic in nature. For me, that is all, just as the Brother above stated that someone who would bring drama or division or confusion regardless of sexuality that’s why I liked his Gangster/Thug reference. We are a Fraternity that values and respects the laws of the land, so that would be an obvious black ball for the petitioner. It’s all about character. We know instinctively as Brothers what is required of us when we take the oath at every degree, and if we are applying the work of the degrees, which we should, for that is what guides us, then it’s really a no-brainer as to which petitioners to accept or not. Again, sexuality, by the very nature of our Order, would or should never come into play. Interesting topic, and one that rarely gets discussed at all, inside the Lodge or outside of it. Thanks!

no where in the knowledge i have gained while being a masonic brother have i ever ran across anything regarding sexuality. i cannot see any other reason than ones own pitches and quarrels and that is not permitted.

We had a gay member of our lodge who died of AIDs, and it was never an issue, the active members were aware of it, but it was never discussed by the lodge. I only object to the militant politics, and the only thing that bothers me is, as a Christian I believe its wrong, but so is a Christian committing adultery. As an American I believe that all people have the right to live their lives within the law, as they choose.

While the ballot endue one the freedom to pursue his personal opinions on a certain petitioner’s qualities, characteristics or preferences it is one of the most sacred duties of a Freemason. One’s vote is ideally not discussed to preserve the harmony in the Lodge. Therefore, if a member rejects a petition based on his sexual preferences, there is nothing any member can do.

I personally don’t find it an issue. However, the harmony of the Lodge is of utmost importance. However, it is our obligation to give the petition the consideration it deserves.

You’ve got a point there. I guess it’s up to the lodge members to decide, but it will be tricky to know (unless he says it himself) because as you might know, your sexuality is not asked when applying to join.

My wife asked me once about it “can a gay join?” (She asked because of my brother in law is gay, and who is an excellent human being, and a big heart).

Since where I come from (Puerto Rico) no one ever commented about that topic, my comments were the following…..

1. The Lodges there, only accept men, not women (but they try to have as much activities involving family “women, daughters, friends, etc) women are only allowed to join the Stars.

2. No religious or political stuff are allowed.

3. Who ever in history tried to change that, ended up not being part of the lodges, obviously they end up not having support from brothers, nullifying their future, so they simply leave, or end up in a situation where they are not part of the organization anymore.

4. The majority of the Lodges have old timers members (old age), that being said, they are very conservative, so I do not believe that they would allow gays in their Lodge.

And younger members will respect that and will not try to invite anyone who is gay.

5. That I grew up in a place where we noticed everything, very observant, active jokers, etc.

So that being said, that I noticed one that for sure is Gay, but that for sure he is inside the closet and married, because otherwise he wouldn’t be sitting where he was at that moment.

But who knows who else was married with children but gay too.

6. That I know from ear, that since no one bring up the fact or preference, there are Lodges that wouldn’t mind about it.

7. That for me, my Brother in Law already is from his heart a mason, and the thing was to identify a Lodge in US who would not bring up the issue, so he can join, and that sadly I couldn’t invite him to any of the lodges there because I Knew he was Gay, so I can’t do something I knew it wasn’t going with their mindset, and that eventually (if not on spot) they will noticed.

8. That if I get to know about a Lodge that wouldn’t mind, then I will tell her to see if he would like to join.

Now I have lots of friends that are gay, some of them serious (these wouldn’t be a problem on accepting them)……….some, are like we say, “too much flowerish, some to liberal, and some radicals (these definitely will be a problem, and won’t be accepted).

9. So it all depends on the Jurisdiction and the Lodge. So my advice is to be “cautious”, and carefully verify ithat.in order not to go against the point of view of that jurisdiction and specially the Lodge.

I joined Freemasonry to be part of an organization that encourages free thinking. I take my obligation very seriously and as such live my life on the level, believing that all men are equal. I take pride in being a member of an organization that allowed men and women of all races to be members long before the rest of the world caught up. I’m a heterosexual male so I don’t know what it’s like for a Homosexual mason but I am a minority and can’t tell you how amazing it felt to be welcomed with open arms by my brothers at lodge. This is of course just one brothers opinion, I have love for all my brothers around the world

As long as they’re not making “proselitism” for their way of life it’s ok.
But sometimes they’re making their exclusivist own circle inside where they belong, so… my tolerance is out.
And if, I say IF, homosexuality is against the law in certain countries, we as masons we must obey the laws of the country we are in.
SMIB!!!

I am a heterosexual and a freemason and I think that it is not a question of proselitism. It is a question of human rights to accept gay men in freemasonry. Having said that, I would like to focus on what you said about homosexuality being against the law in some countries. Didn’t freemason and Freemasonry fought against tyrannies in the past, such as during the American and the French and many other revolutions around the world during the 19th century? Shouldn’t we struggle for justice instead of legalism when laws are unjust?

Homosexuality is a religious issue for some, a moral issue for others. A hybrid issue for others. A confusing and polarizing issue for sure. Homosexuals have been and will continue to be a part of the lodge. It shouldn’t and likely wouldn’t be a determining factor for those who see it as a religious issue. The fact of the matter is, however, that many view it as a moral issue or a religious/moral hybrid. It would likely be a cause to blackball for them.

As a parent of an openly gay daughter with many gay friends who are always welcome in our home, I can assure you that there is NO gay agenda nor a movement to “recruit” or “convert” heterosexuals to the (erroneously) perceived dark-side. All men enter through the west gate on the level. As long as they act upon the square then their sexual orientation is a moot point. Freemasonry teaches us to realize that we are all a part of the brotherhood of man under the fatherhood of the G.A.O.T.U. Nowhere in MY lodge’s by-laws or our G.L.’s book of constitutions does it state that a member must be of one sexual/gender ORIENTATION or the other, simply a man, freeborn, of lawful age and well recommended.

I am a gay male and PM of two different lodges in the VERY conservative state of Oklahoma. I just lived by the principal of DADT. I knew that it would be a touchy subject if the conversation ever came up. I loved my Lodges but when I came out I chose just to bow out of all Masonic activities. I know now that I was wrong in doing this. Peoples minds will never change if guys like me never stand up. When it comes to the OBLIGATORY issue regarding MORALITY. Remember guys, MORALITY IS GOVERNED BY THE SOCIETY IN WHICH WE LIVE! So as Society changes so will what is accepted our organizations.

Any notion of objective moral values can only be justified when it originates from a religious framework or worldview. Morality is not “governed by the society in which we live” but rather by the Volume of Sacred Law upon which our very obligations are taken. To ignore this for the sake of being politically correct injures the aim of our society which is to take good men and make them better. Religion is rightly an untouched subject within our walls, however it is the source from which we derive our ethics and one we vow to observe to our fullest ability. The politics of LGBT as a social rights movement has no place within our lodges and should not dictate the practices of our ancient and venerable fraternity.

For me it is a simple matter. I have a quote, “Leave your flag at the door!” We meet in Lodge for a single purpose: To enjoy and benefit from each others experiences and friendship. If you are a used car salesman, come to lodge. However, don’t come to lodge and try to sell us all an automobile. Are you an Amway rep? Fine, just don’t come to lodge and start drawing circles. Gay? No problem. Leave your militant multi-colored flag at the door. In other words, remember why you come to lodge and don’t force your opinions on the other Brothers attending.

One problem I can see is that this fraternity IS based on a mans morality. There are certain people that see homosexuality as immoral. It will be especially difficult for them to have to look over the top of a Bible and see someone that is committing what they consider to be a sin. Not sure how to justify that slight problem.

But, in reality, the fact someone is homosexual should not even come up. If it does, then they may be joining for the wrong reasons. I imagine it will soon happen that a lodge will be sued for discrimination and “forced” to allow membership. Which is exactly my point of leaving the flag at the door.

With Bruce Jenner being in the news this issue has come up. Specifically regarding if Bruce was alread a Mason would a sex change make necessary his removal from the lodge. Personally, I agree with the belief that your lifestyle choices outside of the lodge should remain your business alone. However; it would be an interesting problem.

I have been a member of my lodge in Vermont for nearly five years. I am a gay man and it was known to the members of the lodge when I was investigated by my committee. I knew going into that process that it is an organization with members that tend to lean conservative, and that it may hinder my acceptance, but I tried anyway. I was accepted and I have never felt unwelcome or less respected for it. We have occasionally joked about the relative novelty of it. In fact, if not for some other life commitments taking my time, I would have been installed as master just last week. That said, I recognize that attitudes on this will vary as some will call upon their narrow definition of morality while others will interpret certain tenets as a requirement to accept it. We as an organization exist in a larger society and we will evolve just as the rest of society does.

As Masons, we take our obligations on the Volume of Sacred Law. Any notion of objective morality is personally defined for us by the particular sacred scripture we acknowledge. As an organization we must not capitulate to the current LGBT social justice fad while ignoring this fact for the sake of expediency. We should adhere to our time-tied tradition of separating politics as well as religion from discussion within our lodges. Keeping in mind that objective moral values are a distillate of religion. Without which, any distinction between good and evil; justice and chaos would be entirely subjective and would leave our venerable fraternity in the same downward spiral of devolution as we currently observe ramapant in the political arena.

I have been a Freemason for almost six years. I am also a gay man. I have never discussed this kind of subject in lodge. I have some Brothers who know about me because we have become close friends over time. I know they support me and respect me, but I still feel very apprehensive about being open about it with others. If any Brother asks me, I will respond with the truth, regardless of any negative consequences it may cause me. I always say that I was out of the closet before I became a Freemason, but I went back to the closet once I became one. I am still happy to be part of the Craft. I am a proud Mason. Absolutely!

The idea that Freemasonry dictates that members must be “free” enough to accept someone’s sexuality would mean that it must also dictate that some members will not accept homosexuality and both should be ok. It’s a bad argument IMO for homosexuality in freemasonry but I digress. To me if there is cause for a person’s sexual preference to be addressed in any manner or method that person IMO has a different agenda for why they are seeking memebership. It would come across as gays testing Freemasonry to see if they will be accepted. No one should know what you do and with whom you choose to do it with. Sex is private and should occur in a private setting. I never discuss what I do with my wife with the men down at the lodge.

Firstly, welcome, Brothers. I’m the sitting WM of my Lodge. Secondly, you won’t know my personal opinion on the matter because I have “left my flag at the door” of this comment. With that being said, please listen without feeling judged, because I guarantee you don’t know my personal opinion:

One thing I haven’t heard in this discussion is The Great Light, which is open on the altar of every open Lodge. It can even be multiple books, depending on the faith of the members present (i.e. in Baltimore, there is a Lodge that often opens with a bible, Koran and Talmud at the same time).

The Great Light, we are told, is the rule and guide of our faith. It is displayed open in Lodge to remind us that it is what we have PROFESSED to follow.

SO…since the Great Lights of the Brethren have crystal clear guidance on the issue of homosexuality, what are we doing even discussing this?

Now a deeper question…if a candidate is openly and unapologetically living a life of sin (take your pick) by choice, in direct defiance of the Great Light, where does this take us in the discussion? Would it be as justifiable to blackball an open homosexual as it would be a professional thief or executioner or pornstar or pathological liar or Vegas gigolo?

My point is, there are no perfect humans (masonry is the journey TOWARDS perfection, knowing we’ll never attain it in this life, only the next), but are we defying the point of Masonry if we continue to cherry-pick what we let the Great Light direct in our conduct? If so, then what’s the point of Masonry?

My perspective is this: I feel that gender manifest in all things. And that all have masculine and feminine properties. (Sound familiar?) I feel that we focus too much on the physical. Do you think your soul has a gender? Or isn’t our bodies simply dust? Why get upset when one human connects with another. But, I am Native, and there was nothing ‘wrong’ or ‘immoral’ about two-spirits. They were considered blessed, sacred even before the Europeans introduced the word “homosexual” to us. But I respect all opinions because free will is the most amazing thing a human has. You create your own reality!

My personal opinion is that homosexuality is clearly defined as a sin in the Bible. But that aside, in my lodge, we do not accept women, and I would think we should not accept gay men for the same reason. In the lodge there should be no sexual tension between any members.

Since when does a brothers sexual orientation become a subject of conversation in the lodge,it doesn’t,just as a brothers faith traditions are not mentioned in the lodge. Strife and contention are left out of the lodge room with the avoidance of such conversations.And since when does Christianity and Islam hold a monopoly on the fraternity? I know members who are Deists,they believe in a supreme being and the immorality of the soul but they belong to no particular faith tradition.

Does your Lodge admit members who eat pork? Does it admit members who are divorced? Does it admit members who’s wives were not virgins when they married? Just asking. I’m a follower of the Bhagavad Gita, not necessarily the Bible…however I am well-versed in the Bible and know it says a thing or two about all of the above.

Who one of my Brothers has sexual relations with and who they are sexually attracted to has NOTHING to do with Freemasonry.

I do not recall my petition asking me anything about my wife or our sexual practices at home.

If I were not a devotee of Chinese medicine and energy balance this whole discussion would have given me a big headache. Several of the commenters here clearly have no idea what Freemasonry was in terms of its history and culture. Freemasonry has an important dynamic of balance between conservative/liberal notions in morality and religion historically. But the blanket proscriptions that some offered here can be taken as sure proof that the commenter has learned nothing about the intrinsic nature of the Craft at all.I have to ask them seriously: why bother being a Freemason, for some may seriously wonder if you aren’t doing the Craft more harm than good. And if that tweaks their ego-sense……good! For their views are antithetical to the Craft from the get go. Oy veh!

True. But the fact of the matter is if you are freeborn (which we all are nowadays), of good report and well recommended you should be admitted to any lodge, black or white, that’s the rules. I guarantee you my blue lodge, Scottish rite and shrine lodges do not put up with racism or black cubing someone during the voting process because of their skin color. Masonry is all about making good men better. Doesn’t say anything about stipulations whether gay or a different color.

I am a closeted bisexual and a Freemason (Grand Orient de France).
While I am a part of what is now called LIBERAL Freemasonry, I still cannot disclose my seuxal orientation to anyone in my Obedience. It is simply frowned upon, even tho we advocate the total freedom of conscience.
Being a Freemason and bashing homosexuality, calling it a moral wrong, like some posters do here, is not just outright hypocrisy but it is also evil. Isn`t intolerance one of the fellowcrafts that attack H∴A∴ in the Temple? Doesn`t our exhaltation to the last degree in blue lodge freemasonry mean, umong other things, we are or at least should be able to surpass what those three fellowcraft symbolise?
On a wall of the Krak des Chevaliers stands written “Grace, wisdom and beauty you may enjoy, but beware pride which alone can tarnish all the rest”. Don’t let pride take over your emotional and intelectual… then those two will never unite and you will never turn into pure metal. And being judgemental about other peoples sexuality while thinking that we are morally right while they are morally wrong is just pure pride and will hinder us to know the Truth.

We say that a man has to believe in a supreme being that’s not saying that he is of a religion so why doe’s it matter who he sleeps with long as he’s not breaking the law, 2: a gay man can make our clothes, doe are wife’s makeup tell the world how to dress, some even lead your choirs but, we can’t fellowship together. Have any of you ever heard of “The Log Cabin Republicans “? I could go on but, Brother’s think about it & hopefully one day we can fellowship & practice the craft in peace & harmony

I don’t care.But I don’t want them advertising it.With the gay flag & our signs. First look in the Bible & what does it say? They are wrong & if you believe in the three great lights end of story. But for one grand lodge shuting out another grand lodge that is crazy. There are men that might not believe in what the grand lodge said but that is there state & you are shutting them out & some don’t have a choice. Sounds like a bunch of kids.

Anyone who is not comfortable with gay men in the fraternity should demit immediately from whatever lodge they belong to because you do not have what it takes to be a mason, our teachings have not been impressed apoun your mind. An open mind my brothers must be a prerequisite for becoming a mason, we want forward thinkers in our lodge rooms not old men who are stuck in the past with there own preconceived notions of what a “man” is. To reject a gay man from membership is not masonic and in fact it may even be illegal.

As it is now, we have been accused of being Zionist and connected with the Illuminati.

We try to be discreet in our Freemasonic practices to avoid being in the limelight.

Homosexuality and other deviant (according to Islamicists) sexual preferences are punishable by Muslim law.

We probably have homosexuals in our Lodges, but they do not flaunt it and we don’t ask.

However, making it open in other parts of the world (especially with the same-sex marriages) will cause us harm because the Islamicists will now accuse Freemasonry of having “deviant” sexual practices, in addition to the other accusatations they are now hurling at us.

So when did homosexuals join Masonry????? It must have been recent because we all know that previously there has never been a homosexual in the lodges across the globe. As all lodges, for the most part, throughout the years have thrived in peace and harmony. All these years I guess we have been fortunate to not have sat in a lodge with a homosexual. Oh wait, could men have been homosexuals in the past and sat in a lodge with brothers? Preposterous! It could not have happened! Free Masonry would have fallen apart!

OK now that my facetious vitriol is out of the way, and for those of you that misinterpret my feeble attempt at pointing out the obvious, I will be a little clearer. If you have been a practicing mason long enough you have talked to, shook hands with, and sat in the same lodge with other brothers that are homosexual, unbeknownst to you, and you have expressed brotherly love to them and you were no worse off for the experience. Rather its just goes to show you that you can and will tolerate others if you follow your Masonic light. In my opinion it is shameful for brothers to profess to practice the believes instilled in our fraternity and then speak badly about other brothers personal lives. Look at the BSA. The BSA realized the mistake and is now fixing it. For years there have been homosexual involved in BSA and the BSA survived and thrived. Matter of fact I know some that had a much more positive profound impact on the boys more so than their heterosexual counterparts. Why can’t that be the same for Free Masonry? We are there not to promote our personal beliefs or values but to make good men better men. Peace thru understanding. Most of us Masons are proclaimed Christians. Our savior would love a fellow homosexual as much as he loved the heterosexual. We all should strive to attain the grace that Jesus had. Those of us that are non denominational also understand compassion, tolerance, understanding, kindness, charity are the virtues that we profess to extol as masons. It’s not an easy path to pursue Masonic light and is not for the faint of heart. My brothers, we all grow spiritually at our own rate based on our own journey thru life. We are all God’s Children. All life is precious. It is hard to break the beliefs that have kept you safe and secure you whole life. To achieve anything worthwhile you need to step out of your comfort zone and continue to strive to open up to learn more about what you don’t understand. You may not agree with another’s lifestyle but as a mason we show kindness and tolerance to others.
Now I will say one thing about any lifestyle characteristic being brought to bear influence in a lodge. I would not hesitate to throw out a homosexual no different than I would a heterosexual if in the presence of your local community you do not represent the tenets and believes of our fraternity then I would be inclined to vote you out. WE as masons should be promoting the tenets of the fraternity and nowhere in there, to my knowledge, does it say that the lodge should pass judgment on a brothers lifestyle. Now if you are not in good standing with your community and have a questionable record then we do have the right to not vote you in or to vote you out.
One of the reasons I joined Free Masonry was to get away from all the hypocritical Christians in society and join a fraternity that truly believed in and practiced the aforementioned virtues as their tenets. Unfortunately none of us are perfect and politics and religion do seep in. We continue to hone and shape our ashlars in our mind to ready for the acceptance of God’s love and hope to receive the message job well done when we get to our celestial lodge above. We should all work at chipping away that particular rough edge from the ashlar as it has no use and is vestigial at best. To me this is a Political/Religious item and does not merit further discussion. The virtues of a man and his credentials is what we should be looking at not their personal lifestyles. If any of our lifestyles brings to bear or yield influence on the fraternity then it needs to be reviewed, discussed, and handled by the will of the lodge. If a lifestyle of a brother is not influencing or interfering with the business of the lodge then we should not allow this to be a topic for discussion. No more than I would discuss my and my wife’s sexual preferences behind closed doors. If I was caught doing obscene gestures with my wife in public I would expect Masonry to bring me up on charges no different than anyone else. Unless a brother is flaunting sexuality or making obscene sexual gestures in public then we have no ground to pass judgment on them and their lifestyles.

Please brothers get over yourselves. Masonry is bigger than you or me and all of us. The craft is in need of tremendous LOVE not FEAR of what we don’t understand.

I think we can all attest that we observe the craft struggling today more so than ever. Why is that you think? Lodges are closing at an unprecedented rate. Application for initiation is down. If we are to survive we need to strike a balance in keep the fundamental traditions and tenets that are universal to all humans while seeking to change and continue to seek the perfect ashlar. We can’t do this if we are going to be closed minded about the world and where it is going. Change is the only constant in life. When the winds blow if the tree branch does not sway it will break.

In closing, I don’t care what your personal life choices are. If you are a law abiding citizen that is willing to make a difference in others lives thru brotherly love and charity then I will greet you with open arms my brother! PEACE THRU UNDERSTANDING
So Mote It Be………

So speaking as only a FC, I am openly Gay to my Friends but in the closet with Family and My Current Lodge. However in some Lodges on the role of Grand Lodge of South Africa we have bretheren not only openly gay but reigning/passed masters as well (Current WM of one of our eldest lodges goes by the nickname of Worshipful Fairy). With all that being said I was recently visiting a Centenary working and Rededication of one of the lodges in the Scottish constitution and knowing the master to be openly gay I greeted him at the festive board with a friendly kiss on the cheek (totally harmless) subsequently I have been questioned by my Current WM as to my behaviour stating that it is not appropriate for brethren to be kissing each other. I Then pointed out that being Gay has nothing to do with Freemasonry and if by all means I am ridiculed for being gay that the bretheren doing so are not exactly living on the preverbial Level…was I right in doing so ??

As a new comer to masonry and a former military veteran. I actually find it very disappointing of the freemasons to be contemplating this.

I won’t lie, I used to hold distaste for homosexuals a long time ago. However my time in the Marine Corps and time over seas really enlighten me.

There have been many gays and lesbians I have had the honor of serving with. A lot of these people are very outstanding and instructive individuals with a great moral compass and profound believers in god.

I believe firmly that it is very unmasonic to discriminate against these people. We violate the great architects grand creation by judging it when we have no place to do so.

It is not up to us to decide if these men and women are worthy. It is the lord almightys job to do that and we disrespect the creator by doing so.

If it is a matter of worrying if we are letting sin into freemasonry, well it’s too late for that because we are all guilty of sin.

This is something the Catholic Church and the knights of Columbus does. Not us!

If this is what you believe in doing then you don’t deserve to call yourself a Freemason.

My thoughts on the subject is that what goes on behind someone’s bedroom door has no particular place in freemasonry, it is the internal not the external that makes a man a mason, the fraternity has no right to tell who a man (or woman for that matter) can or cannot for lack of a better expression, love. It is also not my or any other man or mason to judge, only the supreme architect in that house not made of hands, eternal in the heavens can do that.

Proportionately there are no more gay people in this World today than there were 50, 75, or 100 years ago, the only difference is that gay people now live in a society where they no longer have to hide who they are. So it stands to reason that Freemasonry has been accepting gay men into the organisation for the entirety of its existence, albeit unknowingly. Those individuals have, like it or not, played their part in shaping Freemasonry into what it is today. Personally, as an openly gay Freemason, I have received nothing but the true spirit of Freemasonry from the Brethren in my Lodge, and every other Lodge I have visited in my Province. My third degree was shared with another Brother from my Lodge, who without my prior knowledge also happened to be a gay man, and this is a rural community! If like the Brethren in my Province you accept a Brother without waver, then you are to be applauded for demonstrating the everything that Masonry is about. But, if you’re willing to hold contemptuous thoughts for a Brother or even a potential candidate of good character, just because he isn’t ‘straight’, then shame on you. There’s no place in Freemasonry for such bigotry.

Personally I consider gay men as women, and Freemasons doesn’t accept women in the craft. Second as Mason we are law abiding citizens and gay is not allow in many countries especially Africa though I’m not against any gay brother but the issue of sexual life of any one should be a private and a personal thing.

I chose to leave after coming out. It was a decision I would do again. I am a good person and was a good Mason. However I was not fully ‘accepted’ after coming out to a few brethren. I was told by the Grand Master to not do it. I went against his advice thinking my brethren would be more accepting. Sadly some would not. I still consider myself to be a Freemason even though I demitted. I remain disappointed to this day.

I am a 30 year old homosexual man, I have been considering joining the Freemasons for the sole purpose of bettering myself as a man. I have a steady income, I care for my family, I believe in a god, I am content in my marriage to my husband. With this in mind I somewhat agree with Adam at the start, Freemasons should not advocate for the LGBT group as this is not what the Freemasons seem to stand for. I do However believe that my sexual orientation should not be a factor at all. It should not even be an equation that would determine if I should or should not join. What my husband and I do in the privacy of our own home should be considered private.

I feel calling the LGBT community a cult is very closed minded and far from the principles of the Masons who, from what I have understood so far, very much stands for equality for men who wish to become better men.

Should I ever join the brethren of Masons I would expect to be accepted as nothing more than a good man wanting to be a better man.